Living in my Eyes
by Dragonmistriss
Summary: Sequel to "Who's Got My Back?" Todd discovers that he might have feelings for the ghost girl...so just how far will he go to bring her back to life? Todd/OC Rated for language and future chaps.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men   
  
Note: Sequel to "Who's Got My Back?" Also for the girls telepathy, the ~ will be used to show when she is speaking.   
  
Summary: When Todd discovers that his feeling for the ghost girl are deeper than just graditude, just how far is he willing to go to bring her back to the living world?   
  
A/N: After the chapter name, there will be lyrics from Trapt's song "Stories". I think that the song goes along great, so bear with me. Of course as the story progresses the mood will change and I will add different song lyrics.  
  
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Chapter 1: Promise Returned  
  
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I found a line  
  
and then it grew.  
  
I found myself  
  
still thinking of you.  
  
I felt so empty,  
  
but now I'm fine.  
  
But still it's burning,  
  
when will you be mine?  
  
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Hopping back home through the shadows of impending darkness and night, Todd's mind was a blur. His thoughts raced around to fast for him to think about just one question. Who was she? Why had she helped him? Why had she healed him? He shook his head in a futile attempt to free his mind from some of the less important thoughts such as 'What will the guys think?' He gave a low, annoyed growl at himself. 'Why the fuck would they care?' he asked himself harshly before hopping onward up the the boarding house. He slowed his pace as he neared the door. He truely didn't want to go in, hell, he didn't even know why he had come back here in the first place. They were the ones who ditched him. But where else could he go? Running to the X-Geeks? Ha, fat chance of that ever happening. He sighed, his heart sinking as he was once again given a reason to remind himself that he had no where else to go unless he wanted to drop out of high school and live on the streets. He shuddered at the thought, the streets were almost worse than the Brotherhood. He stopped himself there as he reached for the doorknob, letting himself inside.  
  
"Home."  
  
He called out half-heartedly. From over the back of the couch he saw two bewildered faces glance back at him.  
  
"Todd? Man! How'd you...what the...TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT!"  
  
Lance spat out, nearly jumping over the couch in rage and confusion. He thought for sure they would never see Todd again, yet there he was, looking like nothing at all had happened. But he had seen Todd get shot twice with his own eyes. The second occupant of the couch, Pietro, just shrugged.  
  
"Who cares...we got our famed pick-pocketer back."  
  
Todd gave an angery glance at Pietro, but was jolted by Lance as the older mutant shoved him back against the wall.  
  
"You tell us how the fuck you survived two bullet wounds and escaped capture, or I swear I'll..."  
  
"Kill me? Go ahead Rocky, I ain't afraid a ya no more...and to be honest I don't give a damn about what you want to know."  
  
Todd kicked up and hit Lance square in the stomach, the earth manipulator toppled backwards and slammed into the back of the couch.  
  
"Yo, and thanks for introducin' me to someone who actually cares."  
  
Todd scoffed at Lance and started up the stairs, but was intercepted by Pietro.  
  
"Someone who cares? You find a new recruit too? Man, your good..."  
  
"Oh, yeah, new recruit. Hope you don't mind livin' with a ghost."  
  
Pietro for once was statue still, searching Todd's eyes for any hint of sarcasm only to find none.  
  
"A ghost? Just how dumb do you think we are Tolansky?"  
  
"Fine don't believe me. But theres your answer Rocky...a ghost mutant saved my ass. Happy now?"  
  
Lance gave a low growl, standing up slowly and rubbing his shoulder.  
  
"Your full of shit Todd. Ghosts don't exist."  
  
Todd shrugged.   
  
"You wanted an answer yo...so there it is."  
  
Both Pietro and Lance shot Todd angry glances. Todd growled softly at both of them. Why had he even bothered to waste the energy to get back here only to be verbally abused. He was better off staying with the ghost girl...at least she seemed to understand. He hopped upstairs before they could say anything else, slamming his bedroom door behind him and locking it. He was about to flop down on his poor excuse for a matress before two sets of fists began pounding on his door.  
  
"Toad! Get out here and tell us the truth!"  
  
Lances voice snarled. Todd only pulled his pillow over his head and hid in the created darkness until he heard Pietro starting to ram into the door at nearly full speed. This wasn't the first time the speed demon had done this, and from experience Todd knew the door would only last another minute or less. He got up, walking over to the window and opening it. He crawled through carefully onto the roof and closed the window behind him. He slunk gently over to the edge of the roof, peering down to the ground. From inside he heard the door groan, it was about to give way. He took in a deep breath and let himself fall off the roof, hitting the ground hard on his feet but he made a quick rebound and rocketed through the air with the added momentum. Fuck Lance, Pietro, and the Brotherhood for now, he was going back into town. He knew someone who was waiting patiently for him.  
  
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Pietro raced into the room when the door finally gave way. He coughed at the swampy smell inside, backing up and nearly tripping over Lance. Lance shoved him out of the way and walked inside. He glanced arounf the room fiercly, a snarl resting on his face.  
  
"TODD! You maggot...come here!"  
  
No reply. It wasn't until the sound of the tattered curtains ruffling in a breeze that he realized what had happened. He bolted over to the window, half hanging out to see Todd making his way back into town. He growled and shoved on the window sill to propel himself back into the room.  
  
"Hurry it up, Maximoff...he's making a break for it."  
  
"Why bother? He'll be back. Where do you think he'll go anyway? To a sleep-over at the x-geeks?"  
  
Pietro snorted out in laughter. Lance glared at him.   
  
"He's hiding something that could mean we never have to run from the Mutant Control again...and your just going to sit here and wait for him to come back?"  
  
"Your a quick thinker, aren't you Alver's?"  
  
Pietro scoffed at him ,a wide smirk playing upon his face. Lance growled, but sat down.  
  
"Fine, we'll play the waiting game. But if he doesn't come back, your going to be the first person to do a one minute sweep of the city...got it?"  
  
"Like you could make me."  
  
Pietro chuckled back, shoving Lance to the other side of the couch and taking control of the remote.  
  
"And while we wait...some extreme channel surfing is in order..."  
  
Lance sighed, cradling his head in his hands as he listened to the voices change so rapidly that it sounded like an alien trying to communicate.  
  
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It took him a little longer to get back into the city..but Todd managed to make it. The next problem was finding the right building. He wandered aimlessly through the streets, trying to remember where it had been. But his question was quicky answered...it was the building with the fresh blood splashed on the side of the second story window. He grimaced, realizing just then how much blood he had really lost. He looked around, but there were too many people walking down the streets. When no one was looking, he ducked inside and fumbled through the darkness until he tripped onto the staircase. He made his way slowly upward, the sound of rusting wrought iron clanged until his feet. He cringed a little, the stairs sounded like they would give way and topple down at any moment. Then his attention was grabbed by the dust floating through the air, and that there were no longer stairs to go up. Carefully he stepped closer to the window where he had been before, looking down at the pool of blood. He jumped when the ghosts form suddenly began to materialize out of the dust and unearthly mist. There she was, sitting beside the pool of blood, head bowed in sorrow and her shoulders heaving as if she was sobbing. But no tears hit the pool of blood, and Todd cursed at himself for tinking she could cry.  
  
"Hey, what's the matter?"  
  
He asked quietly, taking a cautious step forward. The ghost girls eyes looked up at him, even through the hollow black pits, the angle at which she held her dust formed brows showed sorrow.  
  
~...I heard everything that they said to you....~  
  
She whispered in his mind. Todd's eyes dropped down to the ground.  
  
"That's just my life, yo. Don't cry over it...'k?"  
  
~I can't cry anymore. Just mimic crying.~  
  
Her voice came back. Todd raised his eyes from the ground, looking at her.  
  
"Well, I'm back here to visit ya, just like I promised."  
  
The girl smiled a little, standing and walking over to Todd.  
  
~So you have...~  
  
She gave a smile that brightened even the gloomy second floor, before placing her hand on his shoulder.  
  
~Thank you.~  
  
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A/N: Hey! Thanks for reading. It would be much appriciated if you would click on that wonderful lilac button down there and review ^.^ This 'supposed-to-be-a' songfic sequel just got a promotion to a full blown story. It is a pure Todd/OC sequel, so if you don't like Todd, might as well just stop reading now XP Tell me what you think, and what you would like to see in future chapters. The brilliant composers of the ideas I use will get credit where credit is due, so have no fear.  
  
~Dragonmistriss 


	2. Talking

Disclaimer: Don't own X-Men or Evo...but Mira is my own character.  
  
Summary: A simple chat leads to Todd realizing whats in his heart, and a plan in his mind.   
  
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Chapter 2:   
  
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Too much of the same stories in our lives.  
  
I think it's time for change,  
  
don't you?  
  
I think it's time for us   
  
to walk away from here.  
  
Stories in our lives,  
  
we keep them all inside...  
  
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Todd gave a nervous smile, taking a step back just out of her reach. Her touch was like being pierced by an icicle, but as soon as her hand fell back to her side he stepped back where he had been.  
  
"So...wh-why are ya up here anyway? I thought ghosts haunted places they died in, and this old place hasn't been open foreva,yo."  
  
The girls brows dropped in a remorseful way, causing Todd to bite his tongue and curse every word he had just said.  
  
~But I did die here...that is why I remain.~  
  
Her gentle voice was no more than a whisper in his mind, and she turned away a little. Todd took a step closer, reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder but stopped. He sighed at himself, placing his hand back at his side. He would just go right through her...and that was strange, not being able to show compassion through simple contact.  
  
"Hey, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't know..."  
  
~Not many do, and if they did know they don't care.~  
  
"But why? Imean, you seem so nice an' everything."  
  
~I was a run away without a place in society. No one cares about a nobody.~  
  
"Don't say that, yo. I care. You can tell me..."  
  
She turned to look over her shoulder at him with endless black pits that were her eyes. The look on his face was genuine, and caring. She shifted to half face him.  
  
~...I would rather not...~  
  
Todd nodded, watching her ghostly form sink to the ground as she sat. He allowed himself to lower to the ground as well, stopping in a crouching position.  
  
"That's fine with me...er...what's your name?"  
  
~Mira.~  
  
"Mira, neva heard a name like that before."  
  
He gave a small smirk.  
  
"I kinda like it, has a different ring to it."  
  
She gave a small smile, and would have been blushing if she could do so.  
  
"Well Mira, the names Todd, better known to the mutant community as Toad."  
  
Mira let the smile grow a little more.  
  
~Yes...I already knew that. I'm a phychic and a telepath. But it is still a pleasure to meet you Todd.~  
  
He smirked a little. To hear his name, his real name, spoken in such a gentle tone was pure bliss compared to the usual angered voices that spat out the name as if it left a bad taste in their mouths. But he had to admit, having someone know his name before he had ever really met them was creepy.  
  
"Yeah, same here."  
  
He looked at the dust coated floor, deep in thought.  
  
"Yo, Mira...why'd you save me? I mean, you didn't even know me or nothin'..."  
  
~As much as I enjoy the company of others, I didn't want to let there be another ghost in this place.~  
  
"Well, that I can understand...this is your haunting grounds after all, but I mean why did you really."  
  
Mira gave him a quizzical look. Why? She had never thought of it that way. Then again, no one else had ever come up here but him.  
  
~Because you were trapped like I was once. I didn't want to see my past repeat itself...~  
  
She answered quietly, hanging her head as if to block out the question she knew he was going to ask her next.  
  
"You were hunted down by Mutant Control too, huh?"  
  
Mira shook her head.  
  
~No, but if only that would have been the case.~  
  
Todd's eyes saddened noticably. He wanted her to feel like she could open up to him, and now he had a strange urge to want to hold her in his arms and let her cry on his shoulder. He shook his head in disbelief at himself. 'Hold it, hold it!' His mind seemed to scream at him. 'Don't even say that your having feelings for a ghost.' Todd furrowed his brows together. 'So what if I am...' He stopped himself. 'Man..I'm talkin' to myself, that's a bad sign yo.'  
  
"Hey, I'm here for ya, I owe you a favor for you saving my life."  
  
Mira didn't look back up at him for a long while.   
  
~You don't need to repay me. There is little reason to.~  
  
Todd suddenly got an idea, one that might justify his feeling.   
  
"I think I might know how I can repay you Mira. I'll be right back."  
  
He quickly hopped down the stairs, leaving Mira sitting with a bewildered look on her face. What trick did he have waiting for her?  
  
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"I'm telling you, he'll come back!"  
  
Pietro whined as Lance drove down the narrow streets.   
  
"Maximoff, just shut up and help me look...I know he went this way."  
  
Pietro grumbled something under his breath and leaned back into the passenger seat, arms folded over his chest.  
  
"I hope your happy...I'm missing the rest of 'Children of the Corn' for this..."  
  
Lance didn't reply. He had slowed the jeep down to a crawl as they approached the last place they had seen Todd heading towards.   
  
"Where could he have gone? No one's even out at this hour..."  
  
He mused to himself. Pietro rolled his eyes, then looked over to a street they were just about to pass. It was Todd he saw, hopping away from an ancient building. But Lance went on by.  
  
"That was him back there."  
  
"What!? Where!"  
  
Pietro pointed, and Lance slammed on the brakes, put the jeep in reverse and went back to the street where Todd had been. By that time they could only tell what direction he had gone towards...Xavier's Institute.  
  
"That slimey tratior!"  
  
Lance shouted, slamming a fist into the steering wheel. Pietro watched as Todd finally slipped out of view.  
  
"Should I follow him?"  
  
He asked, though it seemed more of a question to himself than to Lance.  
  
"No, I want to see what's up with that building he was in. Maybe the answer to how he escaped Mutant Control is inside."   
  
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A/N: Well, a short chapter 2. Next chappy deals with the X-Men, and a meeting with Xavier, Beast, and Forge. Hope you guys are liking it!  
  
Next Chapter: Pleading  
  
~Dragonmistriss 


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